Rishonim ask, why is it permitted to chop wood with a kupitz (cleaver), it is machshirei ochel nefesh that could have been done before yom tov since we are speaking about a beam that broke before yom tov began? Ran answers that since you are benefiting from the wood itself by providing heat, it is considered ochel nefesh, not just machshirin. It is different than sharpening a knife e.t.c. bec. there you are only using the item to prepare what will ultimately provide benefit to you (once we are matir chopping for heat which is ochel nefesh, we allow chopping even for cooking using 'mitoch'). It seems clear from the Ran that ochel nefesh does not include just "food", but rather all direct "hana'ah". I think that the source of the Ran is the gemara 21b that suggests to allow making a fire even acc. to beis shamai (who does not hold of 'mitoch'). Rashi explains the rationale is bec. 'hana'as haguf' is similar to ochel nefesh. Even though the gemara concludes acc. to beis shamai that it would not qualify as ochel nefesh, the ran seems to understand that acc. to beis hillel it is actual ochel nefesh, rather than just a regular 'han'ah', and therefore would not require 'mitoch'.
It comes out that the statement of the mishnah 21b that beis hillel is matir heating water for hands, feet and face requires 'mitoch', whereas making a fire for heat does not require 'mitoch'. Therefore, heating water to wash ones entire body (i.e. shower) is hana'as kol haguf and regarded as ochel nefesh so it would not require 'mitoch', but it would still be assur acc. to tosafos since it is not shaveh l'chol nefesh (unless times changed).
1 comment:
i agree, however, one needs to understand the gemara in ksubos that you need "mwitoch" to be able to have bias mitzvah on shabbos (vyesh lechalek)
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